Aladdin: How the New Trailer Recreates the Animated Movie

Aladdin is the latest in a growing list of live-action remakes of classic animated Disney movies. And if the newly released teaser trailer is any indication, it may be one of the most faithful adaptations yet. Most of the footage revealed in this trailer draws directly from the original Aladdin, offering glimpses of the fantastical city of Agrabah, the mythical Cave of Wonders and even a brief glimpse of the titular hero.

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Check out our slideshow or scroll down to see just how this new footage compares to the original Aladdin.

The Desert

The trailer opens with a sweeping vista shot of the Arabian desert with a small caravan of travelers seen in the far distance, as an orchestral version of “Arabian Nights” accompanies the footage.

This is similar to the way the original movie opens, though in that version the desert terrain is much more flat.

The animated movie also features only one traveler instead of a group, the character known only as “The Peddler.”

It remains to be seen if The Peddler will actually appear in the remake. The character was voiced by Robin Williams in the original, and a deleted ending scene actually revealed him to be the Genie in disguise. If The Peddler does appear, we assume the remake will follow suit and have Will Smith play a dual role.

Agrabah

The trailer gives us a glimpse of the fabled city of Agrabah as it continues its trip through the Arabian desert.

This shot closely mimics the first appearance of Agrabah in the animated version.

It’s clear that the architecture of the city has changed, however. The live-action version depicts Agrabah as a larger city, and one where the iconic palace towers don’t dominate the skyline quite as much.

Iago

Jafar’s talking parrot sidekick Iago is one of the few familiar characters to actually appear in this new footage. While obviously a CG creation in this shot, Iago looks to be much more realistically proportioned than his animated counterpart.

No voice actor has been announced for Iago, begging the question of whether he’ll even talk in this version.

The Cave of Wonders

The Cave of Wonders is a major focal point in this footage. The trailer even features Frank Welker as the voice of the Tiger God again, though whether Welker actually rerecorded his lines or the trailer is simply reusing the original sound byte is unclear.

As with the opening vista shot, the desert terrain is quite a bit different compared to the animated movie. Here, the cave looks to be attached to a rocky outcropping rather than rising out of a sand dune.

Interestingly, this shot also shows several characters accompanying Jafar in his trek to the cave. In the original movie, Jafar only ever traveled with one companion at a time (not counting Iago, of course).

Entering the Cave

This shot features a character (either Aladdin himself or the thief Gazeem) venturing into the Cave of Wonders. The fact that the Cave snaps shut suggests that we’re looking at Gazeem walking to his doom.

We can also see Marwan Kenzari’s Jafar looking on in eager anticipation.

Here’s how the original movie compares. The animated version uses the same perspective as it follows Aladdin and Gazeem’s respective journeys into the Cave of Wonders.

The Treasure Trove

Here’s a shot of the inside of the Cave of Wonders and the many valuable treasures contained within.

The animated version contains a similar sweeping shot of the Cave’s riches, though it’s much more brightly lit and ostentatious.

Aladdin’s Debut

The trailer wraps with our first look at Mena Massoud as Aladdin, as he approaches the lamp and prepares to free the genie within. Sadly, there’s no glimpse of Will Smith’s Genie in this footage.

This mirrors a similar shot from the animated movie, though the perspective is more askew in that version.

This glimpse of Aladdin also shows how the character’s costume design has changed in the live-action remake.

Massoud’s costume is heavier and more detailed, with Aladdin now opting to wear a loose-fitting shirt underneath his vest. Probably not a bad thing during those frigid desert nights.

The shot of Aladdin reaching for the lamp and the recently revealed teaser poster both show the design of the lamp itself has changed in the remake. The shape is largely the same (apart from some new embellishments to the the handle and lid), but the overall construction is more ornate and decorative than the relatively plain lamp of the animated movie.